<p>The unveiling of a new logo for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Tuesday created a furore among some students who described it as too mediocre for a prestigious institution like theirs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the director of the institute, Dr Anurag Kumar, the move had been prompted by a need to replace the many rusting signboards adorned with random logos appearing across the campus. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The administration said that they sought inspiration from other premier universities in the world, including Berkeley and Caltech. Following a two-year process, the brand team, headed by Professor Kaushal Verma, coupled with VGC, a Mumbai-based art firm, decided on a new, atomic-symbol themed logo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most of them in the administration believed that the branding, coupled with the new logo, would be greeted with approval by the student community. </p>.<p class="bodytext">But they were taken aback on Tuesday when an event to launch the new brand attracted the ire of a section of the student body which protested that the institute’s 67-year-old emblem of a torch enclosed within a laurel wreath, would be replaced by what one first year-student described as a copy of the "Ariel detergent logo".</p>.<p class="bodytext">A few students that <span class="italic"><em>DH</em> </span>spoke to expressed satisfaction at the new emblem. When the institute organised a human formation to reflect the new logo, a freshman turned up with a copy of the Ariel detergent logo taped to the front of his shirt and joined the formation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When asked if this was a sign of protest, he shrugged, smiling: "No, I like our new logo and I like the Ariel detergent logo," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dr Kumar expressed disappointment at the turn of events. "I was hoping we would have a happy, joyous event," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A member of the student council said that the furore really began 24 hours before, when a three-hour WhatsApp poll by the council which attracted 2,400 votes out of the 4,000-strong student body, culminated in a 90% vote against the new logo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dr Kumar specified that while the new logo would adorn official documents, MoUs and letterheads, the original emblem was being turned into a seal to be used on other documents.</p>
<p>The unveiling of a new logo for the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) on Tuesday created a furore among some students who described it as too mediocre for a prestigious institution like theirs.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to the director of the institute, Dr Anurag Kumar, the move had been prompted by a need to replace the many rusting signboards adorned with random logos appearing across the campus. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The administration said that they sought inspiration from other premier universities in the world, including Berkeley and Caltech. Following a two-year process, the brand team, headed by Professor Kaushal Verma, coupled with VGC, a Mumbai-based art firm, decided on a new, atomic-symbol themed logo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most of them in the administration believed that the branding, coupled with the new logo, would be greeted with approval by the student community. </p>.<p class="bodytext">But they were taken aback on Tuesday when an event to launch the new brand attracted the ire of a section of the student body which protested that the institute’s 67-year-old emblem of a torch enclosed within a laurel wreath, would be replaced by what one first year-student described as a copy of the "Ariel detergent logo".</p>.<p class="bodytext">A few students that <span class="italic"><em>DH</em> </span>spoke to expressed satisfaction at the new emblem. When the institute organised a human formation to reflect the new logo, a freshman turned up with a copy of the Ariel detergent logo taped to the front of his shirt and joined the formation.</p>.<p class="bodytext">When asked if this was a sign of protest, he shrugged, smiling: "No, I like our new logo and I like the Ariel detergent logo," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dr Kumar expressed disappointment at the turn of events. "I was hoping we would have a happy, joyous event," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">A member of the student council said that the furore really began 24 hours before, when a three-hour WhatsApp poll by the council which attracted 2,400 votes out of the 4,000-strong student body, culminated in a 90% vote against the new logo.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Dr Kumar specified that while the new logo would adorn official documents, MoUs and letterheads, the original emblem was being turned into a seal to be used on other documents.</p>
